No meal service trans-tasman, inquiry to VA about why is bizzare

[serfty]

Don't get me wrong ... VA's customer [dis]service was woeful in this case.

In fact the first glimmer of an explanation can be found in post 2 of this thread.

 

[Mikefrig]

Don't get me wrong ... VA's customer [dis]service was woeful in this case.

VA's complaints department is not very satisfactory in other ways - I upgraded to business class using FF points. But my ticket and suitcase allowance still shows economy.
After lots of emails backwards and forwards, I have not been able to change my ticket details.
It seems 'the computer' can't deal with it????
It's a worry.

 

[PeteMac007]

I am finding that VA's IT is woeful! This may be why incorrect or substandard service is being offered

Checkin via App is broken. Flights do not display

Website - login in once. Click manage my booking and have to log in again. Click check in and no booking details pull through, so have to dig out vendor locator and manually enter it

Flight got cancelled..these happen and got sorted by phone. Got allocated seats...checked in online and seat was now 8 rows back

I tried twitter DM, but gave up..

Christine at the lounge was awesome and looked after me in the end. BUT it shouldn't come to that if VA's I.T WORKED!!

 

[Steve N]

This from their webpage.
On Trans Tasman flights, our Flexi and Saver guests receive complimentary food and selected beverages. A selection of snacks and other beverages may also be purchased, subject to availability.
On the VA website, they only offer a Saver or a Flexi, so by the website, you should have received a Meal.

 

[serfty]

VA's complaints department is not very satisfactory in other ways - I upgraded to business class using FF points. But my ticket and suitcase allowance still shows economy.
After lots of emails backwards and forwards, I have not been able to change my ticket details.
It seems 'the computer' can't deal with it????
It's a worry.

Welcome to AFF

The best way to check if you are upgraded is to try seat selection.

If only showing seats in the economy cabin than there's a problem.

Also, look for Z class on the documents.

 

[prozac]

Perhaps we need some T shirts with the AFF logo on the back and DYKWIA on the front. :shock:

Don't you mean DYKWWA?

 

[Polbathic]

I'm VA Platinum and use trans Tasman pretty much monthly. After the last changes to fare types from earlier this year I always booked Saver for fares to get a meal. Usually also fly on a VA ticket on NZ metal. After a recent flight cancellation I flew out of MEL on an early VA flight and was told I'd only bought Seat and Bag.... But my records suggest otherwise but the ticketing contains no confirmation of the real fare type per sector so cannot confirm it myself. On the return I dug out all the documentation and printed it out in anticipation of a grumpy exchange at AKL with NZ staff.... Nope, was "the Works" as expected. According to the VA website Flexi and Saver on tt include food but the staff were adamant I wasn't on the right ticket type and the (likeable) FA on the rebooked VA tried to even tell me there were different types of Saver tickets! Hate to think what post September will bring!

 

[Gazza129]

I feel your pain dealing with VA. I always get the same person's name as the signature to my queries ........a certain Ms Martinez............she must be VERY busy. She doesn't read my emails either!...........And takes another few days to reply

 

[coco50]

No wonder VA are losing money!

 

[Polbathic]

After having a look back through the thread, as a person who books only on the VA website, I can see the further problems caused by using the same fare types and then differentiating between food and non food within the same fare basis. Makes it hard to prove your point if you are trying to point out you booked a specific fare type but the fare basis (N, T, U etc) doesn't support your argument. A really cough job VA. There are 26 letters in the alphabet!

 

[imipenam]

About ten years ago, VA dumped all the passengers in Maroochydore Airport who were on a flight half way from Adelaide to Hervey Bay when Hervey Bay Airport runway was blocked for a couple of hours. VA then bussed us from Maroochydore to Hervey Bay which took an additional 3-4 hours. I was subsequently very late for work (on hourly pay rate) and wrote an email to complain. I got a disgusting reply without even an apology, along the lines of "such is life, deal with it". Sounds like they still have the same people employed in their customer service department. I have stopped flying VA since except for complimentary flights that come with my CC. Too bad for VA, I now spend enough with QF to hold Platinum status for the last four years. Shame on you, VA!

 

[Mr Pumblechook]

VA dumped all the passengers in Maroochydore Airport

I don't want to defend VA too much but in your case they couldn't land so they diverted to a safe airport nearby and provided alternative transport to get you to your destination. For which part of that did you want an apology?

 

[medhead]

As for the document ..... it may be a contradiction to a non travel agent , but it needs to be looked in context with the fare basis code and not just the RBD

As I wrote, the target audience does not remove the contradiction. If some other information is required to determine meal/no meal then the document must make that clear - It doesn't.

After having a look back through the thread, as a person who books only on the VA website, I can see the further problems caused by using the same fare types and then differentiating between food and non food within the same fare basis. Makes it hard to prove your point if you are trying to point out you booked a specific fare type but the fare basis (N, T, U etc) doesn't support your argument. A really cough job VA. There are 26 letters in the alphabet!

Apparently, only travel agents are capable of understanding this stuff. being able to read and cross reference information simply isn't good enough.

 

[imipenam]

They could have apologised for my inconvenience which is what standard customer service reps would/should be trained to do, then proceed to explain the situation in a professional manner (rather than a "brush off" response) - I would have definitely accepted the response as adequate if it was done that way.

 

[adame]

I have also experienced the VA customer service robotic response. It definitely causes further frustration when you can tell they didn't read or understand the content of the message and are just replying with generic templates that offer zero help.

 

[prozac]

I no longer fly VA after being locked in a stairwell in SYD terminal by rude VA femo-naz_, and treated with incredible rudeness. On the ensuing flight SYD-HVB they then lost our luggage. I only got a response to my complaints after posting on AFF. All the ultimate enquiry elicited was buck-passing and lies. No real apology, offer of points, free flight whatever.
Complete contrast was a recent SQ flight where IFE did not work properly. I wrote the usual polite letter. Received a letter of apology, 10,000 points, and because they took a lengthy time to respond, more apologies and a lovely Bockers & Pony hamper delivered next day. Result is I continue to support and recommend SQ whenever I can. Always treated politely in any interaction.
Don't fly VA now unless I absolutely have to.

 

[Denali]

I have also experienced the VA customer service robotic response. It definitely causes further frustration when you can tell they didn't read or understand the content of the message and are just replying with generic templates that offer zero help.

We made our first complaint to VA the other day, the email did include the words "stop my wife's coughing about VA" and he got 10,000 points for his troubles.

I did feel the response was rather generic but I suspect he only got something because hes WP.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

I agree that this is all very confusing for the passengers and I also feel sorry for the crew.. I'm sure these fare class decisions are made by people that have never had to face the glare of passengers across a meals trolley

 

[BMIS 1]

One of the many reason we switched back to Qantas was that on this trip AKL - BNE while you book with Virgin you code share with AirNZ and they have a completely different fare structure to Virgin. My partner and I were both Platinum with Virgin and we got sick of the AirNZ ground staff moaning about the fact we were getting benefits with luggage allowance that their members weren't, I did suggest that they talk to somebody who cared about this difference as I did not and maybe they should talk to their senior management. Move back to Qantas overall best thing we did as food wise, with my partner being Gluten Free, Qantas cater for this where as Virgin do not cater and out last trip AKL - BNE they had no food for her and we were flying business.

 

[GaryBne]

While the discussions here on fare structures are interesting I think many have failed to listen to what the original post was all about: the inadequate response.

It seems that every similar customer care department does the same: they simply fail to R E A D ( as many here have) .

They have pre - approved responses to cut and paste, find the most appropriate, and just send that. If you put a Customer Care department on a quota of calls/ email per hour then the inevitable result is customers who are more frustrated after than before.

Its similar with call centres, especially overseas call centres. I know from having met staff that they are on a strict call quota per hour. So the result is calls flicked to other departments or mysterious "drop outs" . Why? when I say strict call quota, miss it for three months and its instant dismissal, from a job that probably supports the whole family...

I took an issue to QF CS ... form response offered 5,000 points as an apology. points never arrived!. I'm wondering, to whom does one complain to about the Complaints Department?

Its also a factor of the generation - they just don't read anything. if its longer than a twit or not in the form of a cartoon they cannot absorb it. I have some left over T-Shirts I had made up if anyone wants one .. "If all else fails ... read the instructions"

Take it to the Ombudsman. maybe not this issue but any chance you get - for I have run out of patience with companies who steal my time by failing to r e a d .

G.O.M.